Duplicate-whist board.



No. 672,679. Patented Apr. 23, 190|.

F. H. LEwls.

DUPLICATE WHIST BBD. (Apphcatxon led Oct. 2 1900 (llo Model.)

UNITED STATES FRANK H. MLEWIS, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

DU PLICATE-WHIST BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 672,679, dated April 23, 1901.

Application iileil October 2, 1900. Serial No. 31,781. (No model.)`

To a/ZZ whom it' may concern:

Beit known that I, FRANK H. LEWIS, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Duplicate Whist Boards;

and l do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specication, and represent, in

Figure l, a perspective view of a duplicatewhist board constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a transverse sectional view of the same.

This invention relates to an improvement in duplicate-whist boards, the object being a simple arrangement whereby the cards forming the four hands may be readily retained inplace and conveniently removed from the board for playing; and it consists in the construction as will be hereinafter described, and particularly recited in the claim.

As herein shown, the device consists of a board A, formed from wood, pasteboard, or other suitable material of the proper thickness. With this board four straps B, C, D, and E are employed, and one of these straps is riveted to each side of the board to a point at the right of the center of each side. Thus "the strap B is riveted at h, the strap C at c,

the strap D at d, and the strap E at e. These straps extend toward the opposite side of the board, and intermediate of the ends of the strap they are also riveted to the board, as at b' c d e', the distance between the rivets in each strap being slightly greater than the width of the cards employed and so that one hand may be inserted beneath each strap. The free end of each strap extends beneath the loop thus formed in the next adjacent strap, and these free ends are preferably of sufficient length to extend slightly beyond the edges of the board and are provided at their outer ends with a ball member F of a ball-andsocket fastener, the socket Gr being secured to the board in proper position to be engaged by the ball F in the ends of the straps, the free ends of which extend lengthwise of the cards. These sockets G are arranged so nearly flush with the surface of the board as not to interfere with the withdrawal of the cards from the loops, and the said ball and sockets may be of any approved construction.

The board thus formed may be suitably ornamented, and preferably has an indicatingarrow H and indicating-star I, as usual with duplicate-whist boards. By disengaging the free ends of the straps from the board the hands after dealing or playing may be inserted beneath the xed loops and the free ends of the straps engaged with the board, so as to securely hold each hand in place, and yet permit them to be readily withdrawn when required for use by simply disengaging the free ends of the straps from the board.

I am aware, of course, that duplicate-whist boards providing for the holding of cards for the four hands have been employed and also that a duplicate-whist board having a strap extending longitudinally across it tot form loops tov retain hands of cards is old, and therefore do not wish to be understood as claiming, broadly, such as my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is- A duplicate-whist board comprising a board combined with four flexible straps each riveted to the board at two points so as to form a loop at one side of the center of each side of the board, and beneath each of which a hand of cards may be inserted, the free ends of each strap extending across the adjacent loop to the opposite side of the board, and the free end of each strap adapted to be connected to the face of the board whereby the hands may be secured beneath the loops, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK H. LEWIS. Witnesses:

FREDERIC C. EARLE, LILLIAN D. KELSEY. 

